Apparatus for sorting rod-like articles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for apportioning rod-like articles is provided, comprising a hopper adapted to be divided into an upper receiving reservoir and a lower measuring chamber of defined dimensions. Slide means are insertable within the hopper in a horizontal plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod, so as to separate the reservoir from the chamber. The slide means are cyclically operated to permit a measured amount of rods to move from the receiving chamber to the measuring chamber. Means are provided to eject the rods from the measuring chamber.

O United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,834,583

Brodbeck Se t. 10, 1974 [54] APPARATUS FOR SORTING ROD-LIKE 3,710,322): 1% 1956 :oberts ,8 1, 1958 arvey 7 ARTICLES 3,127,029 3/1964 Luginbuhl 221/251 X Inventor! Helm! Brodbeck, Trossmgen, 3,195,775 7/1965 Thomas etal. 222/226 x Germany FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 1 1 Assigfleel -W Fritz Kiel!" GmbH, 976,219 3/1951 France 221/268 Trossmgenl G y 1,009,086 11/1957 Germany [22] Filed Mar 15 1972 1,015,368 2/1958 Germany 221/174 [21] Appl. No.: 234,710 Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Joseph J. Rolla Foreign Data Attorney, Agent, 0! Firm MUITay Schafi er Mar. 19, 1971 Germany 2113384 Tl I Apr. 1,1971 Germany 2115871 [57] CT Apparatus for apportlomng rod-like artrcles 15 pro- 52 us. c1 221/251, 221/268 53/148 vided, cmPfising a hopper adapted to be divided into [51] Int. Cl BSh 3/32 an upper receiving reservoir and a lower measuring [58] new of Search 22l/174 175 10 268 chamber of defined dimensions. Slide means are in- 221/270 279 222/372 1 sertable within the hopper in a horizontal plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod, so as to separate the reservoir from the chamber. The slide [56] References Chad means are cyclically operated to permit a measured amount of rods to move from the receiving chamber UNITED STATES PATENTS to the measuring chamber. Means are provided to :32? 2: 221,5 eject the rods from the measuring chamber. 2:638:246 5/1953 Faust I:I:1................IIIIIIII 221/174 17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEBSEP 1 01974 SHEET 1 0F 2 PATENIEBSEP 1 mm mm 2 or 2 XXX) FIG. 7

FIG.8

APPARATUS FOR SORTING ROD-LIKE ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for receiving and apportioning for packing rod like articles such as cigarettes particular cigarettes having filter tip ends.

In general cigarettes, filter rods and similar articles are collected from the maker in large quantities laid with their longitudinal axes parallel to each other. The

' articles may be collected in bulk, by hand, automatic conveyors or in trays and they are thus delivered to the packer where a predetermined number of them are sorted out, collected and packed. The method and apparatus for handling these articles has many deficiencies, particularly, great care must be exercised to prevent the article from being damaged, means must be provided to maintain the proper orientation of the article, and to count or meter out a required dose or number for packing.

It is the object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for handling rod like article such as cigarettes, filter tip cigarette filters and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for handling rod like articles which is faster yet more delicate in the manipulation of the article.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus of the type described which overcomes the defects of the prior art devices.

These objects together with many advantages will become obvious from the following description of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention apparatus for apportioning rod like articles is provided, comprising a hopper adapted to be divided into an upper receiving reservoir and a lower measuring chamber of defined dimensions. Slide means are insertable within the hopper in a horizontal plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod, so as to separate the reservoir from the chamber. The slide means are cyclicly operated to permit a measured amount of rods to move from the receiving chamber to the measuring chamber. Means are provided to eject the rods from the measuring chamber.

Preferably the bottom floor of the measuring chamber is separate from the walls thereof and is provided with elevated means allowing it to be raised and lowered with respect to the slides. The floor is provided with a pair of resiliently upstanding arms,.engaging the walls of the hopper and forming with the floor a U- shaped trough. The slide means are shorter than the width of the hopper permitting the arms to move into the reservoir to encompass and hold a number of rods which can then be carried downwardly into the measuring chamber.

The slide means are preferably formed of two members operablein a defined sequence to effect the cyclical separation of the hopper without damage to the rods.

Further, according to the present invention the apparatus can .be adapted for use with tray feeding and supply devices in which large numbers of rods can be supplied to the hopper. Additionally, vibration means as well as agitation means can be supplied.

Full details of the present invention follow herein and will be seen from the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the bottom floor of the measuring chamber in elevated position;

FIG. 4 is a view of modified form of floor for the measuring chamber;

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of an apparatus showing a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a device similar to FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views of the measuring chamber showing the operation of the slides.

Turning to FIGS. 1 3, the present invention is embodied in apparatus for handling such rod like articles as filter tip cigarettes and comprises a hopper having an upper funnel shaped receiving reservoir 11 open at its top to receive therein a plurality of uniformly directed.

rods 18. The cigarettes may be delivered to the receiving reservoir by conveyor, manually or through the use of conventional storage trays. The lower portion of the hopper comprises a measuring chamber 13 defined by a pair of parallel side walls 34. Through horizontal slots 14, formed in the side walls 34 just beneath the receiving reservoir 11 pass flat slide members 15 and 16; The

- slide members 15 and 16 are adapted to move from each of the respective sides inwardly to separate the measuring chamber 13 from the receiving reservoir 1 I, thus separating a predetermined number of rod articles in the chamber 13 from the rest of the hopper. The ends of the slides 15 and 16 are bevelled to provide pointed tips allowing easier access into the rods achieved in the hopper. Further details of the operation of slides 15 and 16 will be seen later.

The depth of the hopper, i.e., both the receiving reservoir 11 and the measuring chamber 13 is approximately equal to the length of the rods 18 (in this case filter tipped cigarettes). The width of the slides 15 and 16 aresignificantly less being only somewhat longer than the length of a filter plug, as seen inFIG. 2. The slides 15 and 16 are arranged to lie beneath one end of the rod 18, here as seen in FIG. 2, beneath the filtertip. Further, the length of the slide 15 is less than the width of the measuring chamber 13 so that spaces can be left at either end of the slide 15 between them and the walls 34, as seen in FIG. 1. i v l The measuring chamber 13 is closed at its bottom by a floor 30, which as seen in this embodiment is mounted on a shaft 31 to move upwardly and downwardly like an elevator within the measuring chamber 13, in the direction of the vertical arrows. In the embodiment seen in FIGS. 1 3 the floor 30 is formed of two fiat plates 32 and 33 arranged parallel to each other and fastened together by screws or similar fastening means. Sandwiched between the two plates 32 and 33 are a pair of angle pieces having upwardly extending arms 35 which are sprung outwardly in resilient contact with the walls 34. The arms 35 are made of thin 'sheet metal or similar material resilient when bent to the desired shape. The arms 35form with the floor 30a hod, or U-shaped container, having only side walls, for receipt of the rod-like objects.

At least one of the arms 35 is formed with a horizontal slot 36 which as seen in FIGS. 1 3 is in the left arm. The slot 36 is normally provided in the arm adjacent the side of the hopper into and out of which the separating slide is moved. The slot is so arranged that the slide 15 will pass horizontally through it when the floor 30 is at its most upward elevated position.

Forming a part of one of the end walls of the measuring chamber 13 is a movable pusher plate 37 while the opposed wall is open leading into a packaging bin or receptacle. The pusher is adapted to push cigarettes once received in the measuring chamber 13 longitudinally (i.e., end to end) into the packaging receptacle. When the rod like articles are filter tip cigarettes, it is preferable that the pusher plate 37 be located on that wall adjacent the tipped end.

Mounted on the exterior surface of the side walls 34 are vibrators 38 adapted to shake the hopper 11 so as to cause the rod-like articles therein to closely pack togther and to prevent gaps or voids from forming between the rods during their descent from the receiving reservoir 11 to the measuring chamber 13.

Various specific details such as the means for raising and lowering the floor 30, moving the slides 15 and 16 and operating the vibrators have been omitted from this description. Such details are conventional and their disclosure is unnecessary for a full understanding of this invention. Furthermore, the use and location of such apparatus forming the present invention will be obvious to those in this art.

In operation, the separating plate 15 is first inserted in the hopper (in FIG. 1 from left to right) to cover the measuring chamber 13 and prevent rods from falling from the hopper 11. Then the floor 30 is lifted until it reaches its most elevated position, directly below the separating slide 15. In effecting this movement, the spring like arms 35 move between the ends of the slide 15 and the walls 34 to encompass a given quantity of the rods, which are laying in a uniform parallel axial direction parallel to the arms 35. Subsequentially the slide 15 is removed, by sliding it out of the hole 14 to the left. In this manner the rods become supported by the floor 30. As the floor 30 is caused to thereafter descend, so do the rods held in the measuring chamber 13 as well as those stacked above them in the receiving reservoir 11. The movement of the rods is without any rearrangement of these positions relative to each other and without displacing or angling of the rods. Thus the rods descend en-masse, until the U-shaped container is fully within the measuring chamber 13. Simultaneously the vibrators 38 shake the hopper to insure that the cigarettes maintain their close packing and lie on each other properly. The vibration is furthermore transmit ted from the walls 34, through the resilient arms 35 to the rods lying in the measuring chamber 13, so they too are packed without any gaps or spaces between them. As soon as the floor 30 descends to its lowest position, and the measuring chamber is completely full, the slides 15 and 16 are inserted into the hopper in order to separate the bulk of the rods and divide them from those in the measuring chamber. First the slide 16 is partially inserted from the right to left and then the slide 15 is inserted from the left to right (see FIG. 7). The slide 15 is inserted to point just short of the end of the slide 16, which of course is in the same horizontal plane, so that a small space or gap (FIG. 8) is left between them. The space 20 is maintained somewhat smaller than the diameter of the rods 18 so that they are not crushed, torn or dislodged from their uniform arrangement by the inserted slides. Subsequently, through a connection between the slides 15 and 16, made on the exterior of the hopper by conventional means such as levers, cams, etc., the separating slide 15 is fully inserted within the hopper (from left to right) and the opposing slide 16 is simultaneously removed to the right. During this movement the space 20 is maintained. The slide 15 again divides the hopper into the receiving reservoir 11 and the measuring chamber 13. Thereafter the pusher wall 37 is actuated in the direction of the arrows seen in FIG. 2, shoving the counted and sorted rods into the packaging container 23 for further processing. The pusher 37 is retracted, leaving the measuring chamber 13 void. The cycle may be then repeated.

Because of the carrying of the rods by the combination of floor and arms forming a U-shaped container, the vibration phase, and the free fall phases for causing the rods to descend within the hopper, operations are significantly reduced in time. Further the rods are more uniformly transferred without any possibility of dislodging or formation of gaps. In this way the production output, i.e., delivery of measured quantities of rods to the packaging receiptacle 23, can be significantly increased.

A simple form for the U-shaped elevator container, incorporating a unitarily formed floor and upwardly extending resilient arms, is shown in FIG. 4. Here the floor 30 and arms 35 are formed from a single piece of sheet metal bent into the desired U-shape. The shaft 31 may be secured to the bottom of the U-shaped trough, it may be integrally formed with or it may be fastened to it by a screw or bolt. Slots 36 are formed in both arms so that either slide 15 or 16 can be used as the separating slide, it being obvious that the function and sequence of operating slides 15 and 16 are interchangeable.

A further form of the invention may be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein the apparatus is adapted for use with conventional tray storage devices such as those used to transport cigarettes, filter tips and filter tip rods from the rod-maker to the packing devices. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 the hopper is provided with a supporting frame 12 arranged above the upper opening to the receiving reservoir 11 while the funnel shaped terminates in a measuring chamber 13 generally closed at its bottom. Conventional storage trays, of either the inverting type or the slide bottom type are adapted to be placed on the support. As shown a tray 17 having a removable slide bottom 19 rests on the support 12. The depth of the hopper and the tray 17 are substantially the same so that on removal of the slide bottom 19, the rods 18 may descend, by gravity, into the reservoir 11. The side walls of the measuring chamber 13 are provided with holes 14, into which transverse slides 15 and 16 are adapted to pass, in the same manner as disclosed in connection with FIGS. 1 3. The slides 15 and 116 separate the receiving reservoir 11 from the measuring chamber 13 and provide for a counted or measured quantity of rods to be contained within the measuring chamber. Tray storage equipment and means for handling such trays are well known and may easily be adapted here, to provide a steady and continuous supply of rods (cigarettes, filter tips etc.) to the reservoir so that a continuously functioning cycle of measuring or apportioning predetermined numbers of rods within the measuring chamber can be effected. Before the rods are exhausted in the receiving reservoir 11, an empty tray may be removed, and replaced with one having a full load of rods.

Thus, after the tray 17 is placed on the support and the slide 19 pulled out, the rods fall into the receiving reservoir 11, passing the slides and 16 into the chamber 13. The slides 15 and 16 are operated to provide the gating effect earlier described and the rods cyclically apportioned in and then pushed out of the receiving chamber 13. Because the receiving reservoir 11 has a funnel shape, the rods fall faster through the central portion than in the portion where the side walls are parallel. This may sometimes make the changing of trays difficult, since in those portions where the walls are parallel, particularly at the juncture between the tray 17 and the support 12, rods may hang up and remain. Thus, when the empty tray is to be removed, these rods may fall out, dislodge or otherwise become disoriented in their alignment with the rods in the receiving reservoir 11. This is particularly significant in the inner area created by the frame support 12. On the other hand, the measuring chamber 13 should not be too solidly packed with rods, since to do so would effect the ability of the pusher to extrude the rods and consequently effect the continuous cycling and operation of the device. To overcome both problems, a plurality of elongated stirrers or agitators 21 are arranged along a generally horizontal line beneath the support 12, each agitator extending perpendicularly to the vertical plane transversely accross the depth of the hopper within the reservoir 11. The agitators are uniformly spaced from each other at a distance between them of not greater than the length of the rod. The agitators are mounted through the back wall of the hopper and are connected by pulley, gears, or other drive means to a motive source so that they can be made to continuously rotate or oscillate about their longitudinal axes. The agitators 21 thus create a constant stirring in the rods stacked within the receiving chamber, and those entering through the opening of the support 12, so that the rods do not slide relative to each other and maintain a generally horizontal, axially aligned uniformity, approaching the desired standard for the rods. Simultaneously, the agitators maintain the rods in a generally loose and not lightly packed condition.

The agitators 21 are approximately the length of the rods in the hopper and have three or more curved faces. A radial pin 25 may be provided, as seen at the rear end, or end near the tip of filter-tipped cigarette, to engage the rods in the manner of a paddle. To manage sensitive or fragile rods, such as plain cigarettes, the agitators 21 may be conically shaped, as for example fonned as a cone. The agitators are driven by the conventional means to oscillate to the right and left about an arc of approximately 100 degrees. It has been found that such operation creates an optimum rod levelling standard which maintains the rods in desired axial and horizontal alignment.

The emptying of the measured rods from the chamber 13 can proceed as described in FIG. 2, in that the hopper, as seen in FIG. 6, is formed on one wall with a separable pusher 37 which the opposing wall opens into a packaging container 23. Conventional means are provided to move the pusher 37 to eject the rods into the container 23 and for removing the container or the rods from it. While in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 the measuring chamber 13 is at least partially enclosed, it will be obvious that the U-shaped trough of FIGS. 1 4 may be employed to make the bottom wall movable so that a measuring container can ascend into and descend full of rods from the receiving reservoir.

In FIG. 5 a further modification is seen by which the measuring chamber 13 can be emptied. Here the bottom wall is formed of a pair of opposed swinging plates 24 when, after the chamber is full, can be caused to swing downwardly opening the chamber, to permit the rods to fall into a packaging container.

The aforedescribed arrangements for apportioning and measuring rod like articles have the advantage that the articles do not fall individually from the receiving reservoir to the measuring chamber but are instead deposited in the measuring chamber without any gaps or spaces and in perfect axial and horizontal alignment. Furthermore, the rods do not hit against each other and do not tumble as they descend through the hopper.

The closing or measuring of the rods in determined charges or amounts is accomplished in a manner which insures as small a damaging quotient as possible. Since the receiving reservoir and the measuring chamber are divided by a pair of opposed slides which enter into the hopper along a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rods, and since the first slide is only partially inserted being subsequently maintained at a spaced distance from the second slide, the rods are not subject to squeezing or abrading. By maintaining the space between the pointed ends of the slides at a distance less than the diameter of the rod, the rods ar prevented from falling and the slides maintain an effective gate, without damage to the rod. It is noted that the second slide is, in length, less than the width of the hopper, so that when it is fully inserted within the hopper, spaces remain between its ends and the surfaces of the side walls of the hopper. These spaces also are preferably less than the diameter of the rod so that the measuring chamber becomes fully covered, without resulting in the squeezing of any rods or movement of the slide. By mechanically or otherwise connecting the two slides so that they act conjointly with each other, as the separating slide is fully inserted, damage to the rods is also prevented by the gate thereby maintained.

By forming the width of the slides (FIG. 2) only .xslightly greater than a portion thereof (when filter cigarettes are handled, slightly greater than the filter tip) friction between the slides and rods is reduced and only acts on the stronger and less delicate portion of the rod. The remaining delicate portion remains free. The pointed edges of the slides assist in this manner.

By arranging the measuring chamber with a pusher wall and an opening into a packaging container the emptying of the measured rods can be easily accomplished. Y

By providing an elevating measuring container having resilient side walls, the rods can be apportioned and carried down into the measuring chamber without any damage to the rods. The elevator container can be formed of any variety of simplified structures. Further, the present apparatus is particularly adaptable for use with automatic trayhandling equipment to provide a continuous apportionment andmeasurement of rods.

The use of the small agitators provides for the maintenance of the rods in axial and horizontal alignment even during high speed continuous operation. This also permits the use of large trays holding large numbers of rods. Thus, the trays need not be changed as often. By

forming the agitators with a conical or curved portion as well as with a radially extending pin, the delicate or sensitive portions of the rods can be agitated by the smoother curved faces, while the stronger and sturdier portions are being agitated by the radial pin. This reduces damage to such articles as filter tipped cigarettes. When more delicate rods, such as plain cigarettes are handled, the pins may be omitted and the agitator made conical.

The vibration of the hopper can be accomplished either mechanically, or electrically by the use of small mechanisms attached to the outside of the hopper. Larger, more complex mechanisms are not required, since the filter housing itself and the resilient arms of the elevating container transmit the vibrations directly to the rods, insuring that they are cloesly packed without any misalignment or gaps therein.

The present disclosure is illustrative only of the invention and many changes and modifications may be made.

What is claimed:

1. Apparatus for handling and apportioning rod like articles comprising a vertical hopper having an upper receiving reservoir to which a plurality of said articles are delivered, said rods being arranged in said reservoir in axially parallel relationship and stacked in horizontal planes, and a lower measuring chamber communicating directly therewith of smaller and predefined cross section said measuring chamber having a floor movable between an upper receiving position and a lower ejecting position onto which said articles are adapted to be received, horizontal slide means movable into and out of the hopper between said reservoir and said measuring chamber in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rods, means for selectively moving said slide means cyclically into said hopper, said slide means having a width sufficient to support said rods in said reservoir in their axial arrangement and to permit the separation of those rods having passed into said measuring chamber and carried downward on said measuring chamber floor from those stacked in said reservoir, means for ejecting said separated rods from said measuring chamber when said measuring chamber floor is in the lower ejecting position, and means to cyclically control said slide means, measuring chamber floor, and ejector means wherein said measuring chamber floor is moved toward its upper receiving position after the ejector means is withdrawn from the measuring chamber.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the slide means has a width substantially less than the length of said rods.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 including agitator means extending into the receiving reservoir, said agitator means being oscillatable to stir said rods within said reservoir without disturbing the axial arrangement thereof.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the slide means comprises a pair of opposed members insertable respectively from each side of said hopper toward each other along a horizontal plane, said members being limited in their movement to maintain a space between the adjacent ends thereof less than the diameter of said rods, and means for moving one of said slides partially into said housing, and for moving said other slide into spaced proximity thereto, and subsequently removing said first slide simultaneously with the full insertion of said second slide.

5. Apparatus for handling and apportioning rod like articles such as cigarettes and the like comprising a vertical hopper having an upper receiving reservoir to which a plurality of said articles are delivered in axially parallel relationship and stacked in horizontal planes, and a lower measuring chamber of smaller and predefined cross section into which said articles are adapted to pass, slide means movable into and out of the hopper in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rods to separate those rods having passed into said measuring chamber from those stacked in said reservoir, and to support said rods remaining in said reservoir, said measuring chamber comprising at least a pair of side walls and a separable floor vertically movable with respect thereto, said floor being provided with a pair of opposed side arms arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of said rods to maintain said rods in axial parallel relationship, said slide means being shorter than the width of said hopper to provide spaces be tween the ends thereof for passage of said arms into the reservoir on elevation of said floor, and means for ejecting said separated rods from said measuring chamber.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 including means for continuously cyclically advancing said slide means to separate said rods, elevate said floor, remove said slide means, lower said floor, reinsert said slide means, and eject said rods from said measuring chamher.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the slide means comprises a pair of opposed members insertable respectively from each side of said hopper toward each other, said members being limited in their movement toward each other to maintain a space be tween the adjacent ends thereof less than the diameter of one of said rods.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 including means for separately moving one of said slides partially into said housing, and for moving said other slide into spaced proximity thereto, and subsequently removing said first slide simultaneously with the full insertion of said second slide.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the edges of said slide means are bevelled.

10. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means for ejecting said rods from said measuring chamber comprises a pusher plate forming a portion of one of the end walls of said hopper, and lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said rods.

11. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the arms are resilient and engage the surface of the opposite side walls of said hopper.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 1 wherein said floor and said arms are formed from a single piece of sheet material. 1

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said arms are separable from said floor.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 including means for vibrating said hopper.

15. Apparatus for handling and apportioning rod like articles comprising a vertical hopper having an upper receiving reservoir to which a plurality of said articles are delivered in axially parallel relationship and dinal axis of the rods, means for selectively moving said slide means to cyclically separate those rods having passed into said measuring chamber from those stacked in said reservoir, and means for ejecting said separated rods from said measuring chamber.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said agitators are conical.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said agitators are oscillated through an arc of approximately 100. 

1. Apparatus for handling and apportioning rod like articles comprising a vertical hopper having an upper receiving reservoir to which a plurality of said articles are delivered, said rods being arranged in said reservoir in axially parallel relationship and stacked in horizontal planes, and a lower measuring chamber communicating directly therewith of smaller and predefined cross section said measuring chamber having a floor movable between an upper receiving position and a lower ejecting position onto which said articles are adapted to be received, horizontal slide means movable into and out of the hopper between said reservoir and said measuring chamber in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rods, means for selectively moving said slide means cyclically into said hopper, said slide means having a width sufficient to support said rods in said reservoir in their axial arrangement and to permit the separation of those rods having passed into said measuring chamber and carried downward on said measuring chamber floor from those stacked in said reservoir, means for ejecting said separated rods from said measuring chamber when said measuring chamber floor is in the lower ejecting position, and means to cyclically control said slide means, measuring chamber floor, and ejector means wherein said measuring chamber floor is moved toward its upper receiving position after the ejector means is withdrawn from the measuring chamber.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the slide means has a width substantially less than the length of said rods.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 including agitator means extending into the receiving reservoir, said agitator means being oscillatable to stir said rods within said reservoir without disturbing the axial arrangement thereof.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the slide means comprises a pair of opposed members insertable respectively from each side of said hopper toward each other along a horizontal plane, said members being limited in their movement to maintain a space between the adjacent ends thereof less than the diameter of said rods, and means for moving one of said slides partially into said housing, and for moving said other slide into spaced proximity thereto, and subsequently removing said first slide simultaneously with the full insertion of said second slide.
 5. Apparatus for handling and apportioning rod like articles such as cigarettes and the like comprising a vertical hopper having an upper receiving reservoir to which a plurality of said articles are delivered in axially parallel relationship and stacked in horizontal planes, and a lower measuring chamber of smaller and predefined cross section into which said articles are adapted to pass, slide means movable into and out of the hopper in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rods to separate those rods having passed into said measuring chamber from those stacked in said reservoir, and to support said rods remaining in said reservoir, said measuring chamber comprising at least a pair of side walls and a separable floor vertically movable with respect thereto, said floor being provided with a pair of opposed side arms arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of said rods to maintain said rods in axial parallel relationship, said slide means being shorter than the width of said hopper to provide spaces between the ends thereof for passage of said arms into the reservoir on elevation of said floor, and means for ejecting said separated rods from said measuring chamber.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 including means for continuously cyclically advancing said slide means to separate said rods, elevate said floor, remove said slide means, lower said floor, reinsert said slide means, and eject said rods from said measuring chamber.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the slide means comprises a pair of opposed members insertable respectively from each side of said hopper toward each other, said members being limited in their movement toward each other to maintain a space between the adjacent ends thereof less than the diameter of one of said rods.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 including means for separately moving one of said slides partially into said housing, and for moving said other slide into spaced proximity thereto, and subsequently removing said first slide simultaneously with the full insertion of said second slide.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the edges of said slide means are bevelled.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means for ejecting said rods from said measuring chamber comprises a pusher plate forming a portion of one of the end walls of said hopper, and lying in a plane perpendicUlar to the axis of said rods.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the arms are resilient and engage the surface of the opposite side walls of said hopper.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said floor and said arms are formed from a single piece of sheet material.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said arms are separable from said floor.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 11 including means for vibrating said hopper.
 15. Apparatus for handling and apportioning rod like articles comprising a vertical hopper having an upper receiving reservoir to which a plurality of said articles are delivered in axially parallel relationship and stacked in horizontal planes, and a lower measuring chamber communicating directly therewith of smaller and predefined cross section, into which said articles are adapted to freely fall, a plurality of agitators extending into said reservoir, said agitators having a length substantially equal to said articles and being provided with a radial pin adapted to engage the surface thereof, said agitators being oscillatable to stir said articles without disturbing the relative arrangement thereof, horizontal slide means movable into and out of the hopper in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rods, means for selectively moving said slide means to cyclically separate those rods having passed into said measuring chamber from those stacked in said reservoir, and means for ejecting said separated rods from said measuring chamber.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said agitators are conical.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said agitators are oscillated through an arc of approximately 100*. 